The Internet is the world's fastest developing mass media channel. Not only are increasing numbers of home computer users using the Internet, but most major television manufacturers are also developing or introducing Internet-connectable television sets. Since Internet connections are made primarily over telephone lines, any Internet-connectable device, whether a television or a conventional computer, must generally be placed in proximity to an existing telephone outlet, or telephone wires must be run to the location of the device.
Wireless computer communication devices and systems are known in the art. For example, cellular modems may be used without the need for telephone wires, but such modems are expensive both to purchase and to use.
A number of industry standards have also been developed for wireless infrared (IR) computer communications, including ASK, IrDA 1.0/1.1 and new, emerging standards, such as an IR bus for control of computer peripherals. Existing IR wireless communications links generally operate at low speed, however, and carry only limited digital signals, rather than video and voice information. A clear line of sight (LOS) is generally required between the two ends of the link.
Computer local area networks (LANs) based on diffuse infrared transmission are also known in the art, for example, the ControLan System, produced by Moldat of Lod, Israel, and the AndroDat System produced by Androdat GmbH of Puchheim, Germany. Diffuse signals, in contrast to direct signals, are transmitted in all directions, and therefore can create a communication link with any receiver within a given radius of the transmitter. However, the above-mentioned diffuse IR systems require ceiling-mounted relay units, which need to be fixedly mounted and connected to a source of electrical power. Generally speaking, they are not suited for connection of a single computer or Internet-enabled television to a communication line in a home or small office.
Elcom Technologies, of Canada, has recently announced the “EZONLINE” modem, which operates by modulating AC power lines, but this new technology is not yet widely used or available, nor is it really wireless, since it simply uses the AC lines in place of the telephone wires. Other companies which produce products for the communication of information over power lines, or which distribute information useful for understanding this technique, include ABP Power T&D Corp. (Raleigh, N.C.), Adaptive Networks (Brighton, Mass.), CEBus Industry Council (Indianapolis, Ind.), Echelon Corp. (Palo Alto, Calif,), Elcom Technologies Corp. (Malvern, Pa.), Electric Power Research Institute (Palo Alto, Calif.), Electronics Industries Association (Washington, D.C.), Intellon Corp. (Ocala, Fla.), Novell, Inc. (Provo, Utah), and X-10 USA, Inc. (Closter, N.J.).